In Review: Father Geek’s Monthly Newsletter (May 2014)

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Another month has slipped by like a ninja in the night…or a ship…or a ship full of ninjas. It’s May and that means Spring in Southern Minnesota is “kind of” here. Last year, we had one bugger of a snowstorm in May that took down trees and had many people questioning their decision to live in the upper Midwest. Throwing caution to the wind, as it were, everyone in Minnesota is now wearing shorts. Temperature be damned… Continue reading →

AnimaLogic Game Review

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Your animal park has been in a drought for over 8 months. When the rain clouds appeared on the horizon, even the animals looked hopeful. But when the steady downpour kept getting harder and harder, hopes changed into fears. The river is rising and you have been sent out into the park to rescue the animals. The majority of animals have already been saved, but a few remain. The lions, camels, giraffes, and hippos have been gathered together, but there is only a small bridge to safety that is dangerously close to being swept downstream by the flooded river. You must cross the animals quickly and in an orderly fashion before they stampede. Your mother told you there would be days like this… Continue reading →

Galipotes Game Review

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The Galipotes is a legendary creature that roams the woods. Many have seen it – well – parts of it, at any rate. Glowing red eyes that might be yellow…possibly green. And teeth! Giant teeth that are red with blood or yellow with the stains of thousand devoured corpses! Then there are the claws, which reportedly change colors constantly. No one seems to agree on what the legendary creature looks like other than it’s big, furry, and downright frightening! Well, maybe not frightening… Continue reading →

Mixed Motives Game Review

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President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.” This is exactly what Mixed Motives is about. You and your opponents are all attempting to complete different hidden motivations. There is no set path to victory and you might have to get others to unwittingly help you win the game. It’s all about subtle manipulation, bluffing, and misdirection. Be careful who you trust and don’t let anyone know your true motives! Continue reading →

Slap Wacky! Game Review

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Isaiah Berlin said, “To understand is to perceive patterns.” This game takes it one step further. In order to be competitive, you must perceive patterns. Recognizing patterns is not enough to win, however. You must also have a fast mind and an even faster hand. This is a game that throws the players into a chaotic battle to quickly build, identify, and claim patterns that everyone works on simultaneously. Think fast and play fast to win! Continue reading →

Gem Traders Game Review

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Johnny Lingo, a fictional character in a short film with the same title, said “The more you’re willing to pay, the more valuable the prize. The question is: Are you willing to pay the price?” Players will be tasked to collect certain “gems”, but the value of each is different for every player. What looks to be of great value to one person is worthless to another. The real question is, are you willing to pay more to get something of less value simply to win the game? Continue reading →

Empires of Zidal Game Review

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Martin Scorsese said, “I love studying Ancient History and seeing how empires rise and fall, sowing the seeds of their own destruction.” But what path did empires take that led them to their ultimate demise? Did they become too decadent? Were they burdened with a faulty economy? Did they have poor political relationships both inside their own walls and without? All of these and more are possible causes that have led great nations to rise and fall. Now it’s your turn to create an empire. Build it wisely or it will surely crumble under its own hubris. Continue reading →

Celestial Rainbows Game Review

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Dorothy told us that a better world was over the rainbow and the rumor persists that a pot of gold can be found at the end of one. Rainbows have been and continue to be sources of wonder, beauty, and inspiration. Despite being nothing more than a refraction and dispersion of the sun’s light by moisture in the air, we continue to see it as more than what it is. Truthfully, seeing colors in the sky is pretty darn cool, but are rainbows magical? Of course not, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t awesome. In this game, you can create your own rainbow of magical delight with friends and family. Continue reading →

Disc Duelers Game Review

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When I was a little geek, I played Paper Football with my friends during our lunch breaks and out on the playground. The game required a sharp eye, a cool head, and surprisingly strong finger flicking skills. This was my first tabletop Action/Dexterity game and continues to be one I enjoy today. There is something about games that allow you to physical interact with your opponent and game bits that I find satisfying. In this game, you need to be able to duck and dodge, using strategy and tactics to win. Much better than Paper Football. Continue reading →

Tsuro of the Seas: Veterans of the Seas Game Expansion Review

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Mankind knows that certain acts are dangerous, but does them anyway. Jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, for example, with only a bit of cord and cloth stopping you from hitting the ground hard enough to go “splat”. That doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. I go through life doing all I can to AVOID being hurt or putting anyone around me in danger. And yet, I am a huge risk taker when it comes to games. One could easily say I do this because I really don’t have anything to lose. Which is true, but I wonder if my giddy little thrill of “pushing the envelope” is the same as a skydiver’s when they jump from a plane? Nah. Mine is a much bigger rush. This expansion adds more danger and risk at sea to an already risky game. Continue reading →

Tsuro of the Seas Game Review

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Legends and myths of sea monsters abound. Throughout human history, mankind has looked at the sea and dreamed of what might await us over the horizon. New land? The edge of the word? Monsters? Even today, when we can go to the Moon and launch probes into outer space, much of our world’s oceans are unexplored! The deep blue still fills us with wonder and with dread. Below its surface is the unknown that looks up at us from its dark depths, waiting… Continue reading →

CardCraft Game Review

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One of my early childhood memories is running around the backyard with a stick and smacking the bejesus out of trees that I pretended were dragons. I was playing a knight or a great swordsman looking for an adventure. There might have been a princes involved, but I doubt that was a motivator. I was, after all, only about 8-years-old and girls were a nuisance. I am now older, wiser, and still love fantasy themed games and stories. My wife tells me that I am now the nuisance. In this game, we get to build an adventuring party and raid a dungeon. That’s it, but it’s enough to make this old adventurer smile. Continue reading →